Morning journal and courier., 1887-07-29

him at certain spot and standing so as to
 play one particular stroke until it can be
 played with certainty. Some strokes only
 occur at rare intervals, and, consequently,
 unless practised separately, are never really
 learned. The first and principal stroke is
 the fore overland. For this stroke hold the
 racquet short, well up to the face, with very
 slight backward incline. In order to play 8
 bail in this manner you should stand about
 eighteen inches to the left of it's course and strike it as it passes you. While it is of the
 utmost importance to be quick, more
 misses are made from being too
 quick t han too slow. You should
 let your racquet hover, as it were, moment
 before striking. If you do this there
 will be no force in the stroke except that in-
 tended for the ball. When you have to run
 forward recollect to deduct the force of your
 run from the force of the stroke, or you
 will strike out of court, and if you run back
 increase the force, as your run will deduct so much from the blow. Try to strike the
 ball well in the center of the racquet. If you
 hit the wood it is almost sure to score against
 you. In making this stroke the left foot
 should be forward and the right back.
 Fore underhand is a stroke made with the racquet held at the extreme end of the han
 dle It is most useful in taking half-volleys, quick services and long drives. When the play is very fast and the ball is returned close over the net the ball rises only few inches after striking the ground. Conse- quently it must be taken underhand or not at all. In good underhand play the ball should not be lobbed up in the air. Be sure to turn the elbow well in and return as close to the top of the net as you can.
 The high stroke: Where a ball passes over the player, but at a pace that will cause it to fall behind him and within the court, he should play it down just over the net. Such ball, played either at the oppo- nent's feet or in some undefended part of the court, is almost sure to score. De careful not to cut into the net.
 Back overland: In case ball twists sud denly, or is returned so quickly that you can not get to the left of it so as to take it fore hand, you must strike backhand. The diff culty is to.'get behind the ball in time. The right foot should be well forward and the left back. Turn the body from the waist well to the left, so as to throw it's whole weight into the stroke The racquet should be held long or half-handle: Back underhand is 8 stroke given with the right foot forward and the left back. The racquet must be held at the extreme end or \ the handle, and, as in the preceding stroke, ! turn the body well to the left.
 ' Forward play overland and underhand- \ These strokes are required chiefly for volleys and twisting balls. For the overland hold the racquet short and firm. When the ball is driven very hard little more than it's own returned momentum is required to send it
 
 \ single games when you are near the net and your opponent is at or near the base line is to loosen the racquet in the hand when the stroke is given. This stops the ball without returning its force and drops it just over the net, where 1t falls long before the opponent can get to it.
 Forward underhand strokes, like back un- derhand are the most difficult in the game. They should be played with the elbow for ward and well up. The effect of this is to keep the ball from rising, and to return it just over the net.
 The back stroke is very seldom used. It is "show" play, and provokes great applause. When ball twists so suddenly that you can not get the racquet behind it in time, pass the racquet behind your back and play. Guard and attack must always be in a pIayer's mind, the object being to protect his own court and assail his adversary in a weak \ point As to the first: After every stroke, | get back to the center of your own court; ii the play is fast be near the base line; if it is slow, near the service line. It is always easier \ to get forward to ball than back to it. Nc \ one can play a forward game without being | skiIlful in volleying. It is means of attack | and defense in which the great beauty of the game consists. Half volleys are strokes | when the ball is close to the ground and \ about to bound or "pifch." There are two \ styles of volley play, at the net and on the service line. The first IS always played over ! hand It is a showy but dangerous play. ! except in four-handed games, because il ! leaves 50 much of the court unprotected. The | answer to it is to play the ball up over the | opponents head where he cannot get it, ol ! obiiquely across the court out of his reach volleying from the service line is muci more effective play. At the service line, il \ the ball is not struck hard by the opponent I so as to carry it out of court, it will be ap \ preaching the ground, and may be half vol leyed or taken underhand. To do this anc | to return close over the net is the ne plui
 ultra of play. Half volleys have been de
 scribed by some writers as the stroke of des
 pair So they may be to an inferior player
 but when well played and placed, they art | almost sure to score.